The present invention relates to a lens-fitted photographic film package and a method of making the same, in which an exposure means is incorporated.
It has heretofore been customary to take pictures by using a camera and a film which are separately sold. Quite often, however, amateur photographers do not have their camera with them. Therefore, it often happens that one who takes no camera along wants to take pictures. At such times, the conventional camera and film systems are inconvenient.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a lens-fitted film package provided with simple exposure means which can be sold at a low cost comparable to a conventional film and is available wherever ordinary photographic film is sold. Such a lens-fitted film package, after the exposure of all frames of the film, is forwarded to a photo shop without removing the exposing film. Photographic products that may be considered to be similar to such a lens-fitted film package having exposure means are proposed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,933,027 or Japanese Utility Model Publ. No. 39-33,924.
However, such a lens-fitted film package taught by the above-mentioned U.S. patent or by the above-mentioned Japanese utility model publication has by no means been successfully put into practical use because of the problem of handling the exposed film. If the lens-fitted film package is opened in a daylight room or in the open air in order to remove the exposed film therefrom, the exposed film is exposed to light because the exposed film is not in any light-shielding container or cartridge or the like. In order to prevent the exposed film being accidentally fogged by light, the exposed film is required to be removed from the lens-fitted film package in a darkroom or by use of a special protective device. Due to this problem, the exposed film in the lens-fitted film package cannot be handled for development in the same manner as conventional films in a photo shop or a photo laboratory.